4 September 2015 – Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon announced today the appointment of Major General Muhammad Tayyab Azam of Pakistan as the Force Commander of the United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO). Major General Azam replaces Major General Major Imam Edy Mulyono of Indonesia. The Secretary-General is grateful to Major General Mulyono for his exemplary service and contribution to the work of MINURSO. Major General Azam brings 30 years of national and international military experience to his new position. He has served as United Nations Military Observer in Democratic Republic of Congo from 2000 to 2001, commanded an infantry brigade from 2009 to 2010, and was Director General and Deputy Director of the Intelligence Services from 2010 to 2014. He currently serves as Inspector General of the Frontier Corps, Pakistan.

On 6 February, Kim Bolduc, Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Western Sahara (SRSG) and Head of MINURSO, arrived in Laayoune. Prior to her arrival to the Mission area, she visited Rabat where she met with Salaheddine Mezouar, Morocco’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, and Mohamed Hassad, Morocco’s Minister of the Interior. Hamid Barez, Morocco’s Coordinator with MINURSO, participated in both meetings...

On 7 February, Kim Bolduc, Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Western Sahara (SRSG) and Head of MINURSO, visited the Saharawi refugee camps near Tindouf (Algeria). She was welcomed by the POLISARIO Coordinator with MINURSO, M’Hamed Khadad...

As the year 2013 is coming to an end and as the holiday season commences, I want to thank you once again for your continued service and support to the Mission and the cause of peace. I know the year has not been all easy, especially because of budgetary pressures that affected our Organisation in general and MINURSO in particular. However, I am glad that difficulties could be overcome through daily commitment of all, dialogue and a spirit of openness...